Women's Basketball Concludes Non-Conference Play against Eastern Washington

Freshman Alyssa Martin leads the conference in free throw percentage.

Dec. 20, 2010

LOOKING AHEAD — Oregon State (6-4) returns home to close out the non-conference schedule against Eastern Washington (3-7) on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in legendary Gill Coliseum. Fans that bring two canned/non-perishable will receive free admission to the contest.

TRACKING THE BEAVS — Full results from Tuesday’s game can be found through osubeavers. com. Gametracker is available, and all but three home games (Jan. 8 - Washington State; Jan. 27 - California; Jan. 29 - Stanford) will also be streamed live for free through osubeavers.com for free. And as always, for in-game updates, follow OregonStateWBB on Twitter.

Got a question about what’s going on in the game or want to chat with other Oregon State women’s basketball fans? Log on and live chat during every women’s basketball game for the rest of the season. Links for the live chats can be found on the women’s basketball schedule page.

GAME 11: EASTERN WASHINGTON — Tuesday, Dec. 21 (7:00 p.m.): Oregon State is 5-3 all-time against Eastern Washington. The Beavers have taken the last three meetings including the 100-54 victory in legendary Gill Coliseum on November 27, 1998, when the two teams last met.

The Eagles return three starters from last year’s Big Sky regular season championship team, led by conference Player of the Year Julie Piper, Co-Defensive Player of the Year Brianne Ryan and All-Big Sky Second Team selection Kyla Evans. Eastern Washington fell to Oregon 95-66 in the WNIT First Round. Eastern Washington’s two-game winning streak was snapped by a 61-72 loss at San Diego on Saturday. The two wins were the first since the season opener against Cal State Fullerton (80-70) before falling into a six-game skid. The Eagles’ top offensive contributor comes in the form of senior guard Tatjana Sparavalo, who has played all 196 of her minutes coming off the bench. Sparavalo averages 11.9 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting, 46.5 percent from beyond the arc. Senior forward Piper is close behind, shooting a team-best 49.5 percent and averaging 11.8 points per game, adding 6.4 rebounds per game. Junior guard Chene Cooper may be undersized at 5-0, but she has posted a team-high 56 assists and 20 steals, while averaging 10.6 points per game on 32.5 percent shooting. Head coach Wendy Schuller is in her 10th season with a 116-155 career record, earning Big Sky Coach of the Year accolades last season. The Eagles are 0-3 on the road this season.

LAST TIME AROUND (NOV. 27, 1998) — Sissel Pierce posted a game-high 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting with four other Beavers reaching double-digits in the 100-54 victory over Eastern Washington. Felicia Ragland contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Syesha Thomas earned four steals. Courtney Horner was the lone Eagle to reach double digits with 12 points. Overall, the Beavers shot 51.4 percent from the field to Eastern Washington’s 37.7 percent. And the Oregon State outrebounded 43 to 38.

REWIND TO THE LAST GAME — Junior Earlysia Marchbanks paced the Beavers offense, but Oregon State lost a heartbreaking 62-61 match-up at Southern Utah. With 44 seconds remaining, redshirt sophomore Sage Indendi sunk a long three-pointer to get the Beavers within one after once trailing by as many as 14. But a missed layup with two seconds left ended the game in favor of the Thunderbirds. Freshmen Alyssa Martin and Alexis Bostick both reached double-digits in points with 17 and 10, respectively.

STREAKING AT THE LINE — Freshman Alyssa Martin is currently riding a made free throw streak, hitting her last 19 straight. Her 81.8 percent from the charity stripe is tied for the best in the conference. Overall, she is 27 of 33 from the free throw line.

SWINGING OVER — Redshirt freshman Tami Brown joins the Beavers, making her debut on Friday, Dec. 3 against Pepperdine. Brown also competes for the Oregon State volleyball team at middle blocker. The 6-2 forward from Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon HS) was a McDonalds High School All-America candidate as a senior and a three-sport letterwinner as a freshman (volleyball and softball).

Additionally redshirt junior Courtney Wetzel joins the women’s basketball team after finishing her eligibility with the top 25 women’s soccer team. Wetzel started every game for the Beavers, being named to the NSCAA All-Pacific Region Second Team and earning All-Pac-10 Second Team accolades at the conclusion of the 2010 season.

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED — The Oregon State women’s basketball team is ranked 14th in the nation for its scoring defense, as of Dec. 20. The Beavers also rank 18th for personal fouls per game (14.1), 30th for field goal percentage defense (35.0) and 33rd for blocked shots per game (5.0). Individually, senior El Sara Greer ranks in the top 50 in one category — 16th for blocked shots per game (2.7).

LEADING THE PAC — The Beavers have the stats in scoring defense (51.2 ppg) and blocked shots (5.0 bpg). Senior El Sara Greer leads the blocked shots race (2.7 bpg), while freshman Alyssa Martin tops the minutes played list (38.1).

OFFENSE SELLS TICKETS, DEFENSE WINS GAMES — The Oregon State women’s basketball team has one of the nation and conference’s best defenses so far this season, holding opponents to only 51.2 points per game. The Beavers are tied for first in the conference in blocked shots per game (5.0 bpg) with senior El Sara Greer pacing the conference in the same category, averaging 2.7 per game. Overall on the season, the Beavers have forced 194 turnovers, good for fourth most in the conference and sixth overall in turnover margin (+1.7).

SEASON TICKETS — Purchase your 2010-11 Oregon State women’s basketball tickets today for the team’s 13 home games. Season ticket packages are only $72 for reserved seats for adults, $48 for general admission.

PAC-10 PACKS — With only one non-conference game left in legendary Gill Coliseum against Eastern Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 21, it’s time to purchase your Pac-10 Pack. Pac-10 Packs are available with adult reserved seats available for $54 and general admission $36.

ODDS & ENDS — The Pac-10 Conference is celebrating its 25th year of women’s basketball. The conference expanded to include women’s competition in 1986-87 in 10 sports. The Pac-10 now sponsors both 11 men’s and women’s sports.

The 3-0 start to the season is the second time the team has opened that successfully in the last three seasons. Last season, the Beavers won in their season opener but then fell on the road.

Oregon State is now 2-0 on the season against Big West teams, defeating Long Beach State, 71-39, and Cal State Northridge, 49-32.

Freshman Alexis Bostick earned the Beavers’ only All-Tournament honors, leading the team to the Jack in the Box Rainbow Wahine Classic title.

TWO RETURNERS — Forwards senior El Sara Greer and sophomore Angela Misa are the two returnees this season. Greer started in all 31 games last season for the Beavers after transferring from Kirkwood Community College in Iowa, while Misa had limited playing time in her rookie season.

EIGHT NEWCOMERS — Eight new faces join the Beaver women’s basketball program this season — one senior, one junior, one sophomore and five freshmen. Freshman legacy Alyssa Martin begins her career 20 years after her father, Earl, had a successful career for the men’s team. Freshmen Alexis Bostick and Classye James both join Oregon State after having successful prep careers, while junior Earlysia Marchbanks not only found success at the high school level but also at the junior college pace. Redshirt sophomore Sage Indendi was named the Division III Rookie of the Year at George Fox under head coach Scott Rueck but transferred her sophomore season and took the year off from competitive basketball. Redshirt freshman Jenna Dixon and freshman Katie Schrock will get a change to test their skill level at the Divison I level, while senior Amanda Davey returns to the game for her final season of eligibility after taking a season off.

MARTIN VS. MARTIN — Freshman Alyssa Martin outplayed her father, Earl, in her career opener. Alyssa scored 24 points to Earl’s eight, three assists to one and 36 minutes to 15.

24’S — Freshman Alyssa Martin wears No. 24. Her father, Earl Martin, wore No. 24. Alyssa scored 24 points in her Oregon State debut. And it’s been 24 years since her father started his career at Oregon State.

RUECK’S ASSISTANT COACHES — Head coach Scott Rueck welcomes a pair of assistant coaches this season in Mark Campbell and Eric Ely. Campbell became the winningest two-year guard in Hawai’i basketball history at guard. Ely brings over 12 years of Division I coaching experience splitting time at Oral Roberts and Missouri. He played professionally in France and Brazil after his collegiate career closed.

COACHES TELECONFERENCE — Pac-10 head women’s basketball coaches will be available on three media teleconference calls during the 2010-11 season. The calls will be scheduled for December 15, prior to the start of conference action; early January, at the start of Conference play; and Tuesday, Mar. 8, prior to the start of the Pac-10 Tournament. Media members may call the Pac-10 office to receive the number for both the live teleconference and taped replay. Contact Natalia Ciccone or Rachel Caton for the call-in number. Coach Scott Rueck’s set time on those three conference calls is 10:05 a.m.

PAC-10 TOURNAMENT — The 2010-11 Pacific-10 Conference Tournament will be held March 9-12 in Los Angeles at the Galen Center, home to USC men’s and women’s basketball and Staples Center. The first round and quarterfinals will be held at the Galen Center, while the semifinals and championship game will take place at Staples Center. For more on the Pac-10 Tournament, visit www.pac-10.org.

CATCH EVERY GAME ON THE RADIO — Every Oregon State women’s basketball game this season will be on the airwaves, either on the AM dial or online at osubeavers.com. Fans can catch games on KLOO 1340-AM, KTHH 990-AM, KJOE 1240-AM in the Corvallis area. Every game will also be available through Beaver Nation Online, the audio/visual service of osubeavers.com.

Ron Callan of KPAM 860 begins his second season as the voice of the Beavers.

For the fourth straight season, select games will be available for fans in the Portland area on KKAD 1550-AM. This year, the Beavers will be on 10 times in Portland, the same as the last three seasons. KKAD is the sister station of KPAM 860, which broadcasts Oregon State football, men’s basketball and baseball, among other Beavers’ information.

Date Opponent Game Time (PT)

11/26 UNLV 7:30 p.m.

11/30 Cal State Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

12/03 Pepperdine 7:00 p.m.

12/17 Southern Utah 6:00 p.m.

12/21 Eastern Washington 7:00 p.m.

12/31 Arizona State 5:30 p.m.

01/15 USC 2:00 p.m.

01/29 Stanford 2:00 p.m.

02/19 Oregon 5:00 p.m.

02/26 California 7:30 p.m.

SEE THE BEAVS ON TV — Oregon State is scheduled to appear on television once this season with the option of a second game being televised late in the season.

The Civil War contest in Eugene on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 12:00 p.m. will broadcast nationally on FSN. Additionally, on Saturday, Feb. 26, the Pac-10 has reserved that date as a wild card selection, and each of the scheduled Pac-10 games could be televised with the announcement TBA.

BEAVERS ALL-ACCESS — FSN Northwest will air the popular 30-minute “Beavers All-Access” show beginning in January on Wednesday afternoons. Head coach Scott Rueck will sit down with host Mike Parker in taping for the show.

BEAVER SPORTS TALK — Most of the Oregon State radio networks will carry Beaver Sports Talk, which airs every Tuesday during basketball season beginning at 7:00 p.m. The show originates from McMenamins on Monroe and will feature Oregon State basketball coaches Scott Rueck and Craig Robinson as well as selected players.

ONLINE HOME OF BEAVER ATHLETICS — The Internet home of Oregon State athletics, osubeavers.com, has a full slate of information on the Oregon State women’s basketball team. Game notes, photo galleries, roster and full schedule are available by visiting the website.

BEAVER NATION ONLINE — The subscription-based site within osubeavers.com offers exclusive interviews, highlights, webcasts and special features from Oregon State coaches and players throughout the year. Live events, game replays, weekly and post-game press conferences, special features, highlights and classic games are constantly shown on the site.

SEASON OPENERS — The game against Long Beach State was the 35th all-time opener. Oregon State has a 29-6 record in season openers after the victory. The Beavers have won the last 13 straight season openers, last six home openers.

LEGENDARY GILL — Gill Coliseum has been the home to Oregon State women’s basketball since the program’s inception in the 1978-79 season. The Beavers have gone 257-148 (.635) in games played in legendary Gill prior to the 2010-11 season. The coliseum seats 10, 400.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BEAVERS — Oregon State opens Pac-10 play at Arizona State on Friday, Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m. PT.

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